[Paizocon 2025] 06-12 - The Burning of Greensteeples (P2)

[GM Tiger]

Ida Tappleby wrote:

I was thinking more about duration then actions to use it.

Sorry. I finally understood what you meant. I would say about 5 minutes. However, if you have access to the Moderate mutagens/elixirs you should be ok.

Poppy and Squeg manage to find the pit trap and disable it, clearing the way.

Rounding a bend, you find an illusory image of Varian's elderly ustalavic wolfhound acts as a magical alarm in the hallway near a sally port.

This one's a tough one. My high tier table failed at this point

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: ARNISANT ALARM

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 20 PFS Lore
DC 23 Arcana
03-04 Chronicle (Automatic Success)

Successes Needed: 2 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete:
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 3
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

**Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Tarta Atsal]

Zero int and only int options.....and two successes on an individual challenge.....yikes

[Ida Tappleby]

I assume that this character needs to own the Chronicle? I do have that one, but not for Ida.

"Oh, that's..."
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"...I don't know what that is. Do you think I should offer it a biscuit?"

[Squeg Wildshot]

**"I don't know about that.."** Squeg says.

PFS lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

[GM Tiger]

You wanna HP those rolls?
Ida - yes. You need to have a 03-04 chronicle on your present PC

[Ida Tappleby]

Do we?

Hero Point: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

"Oh wait, I think I have heard of this!"

[GM Tiger]

Ida recalls Arnisant from a set of novels she read while at Pathfinder school... (seriously, though, I was thrilled to see them mentioned in Season 3)

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: ARNISANT ALARM

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 20 PFS Lore
DC 23 Arcana
03-04 Chronicle (Automatic Success)

Successes Needed: 2 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete: Ida
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 3
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Squeg Wildshot]

Squeg scratches his head...

Hero point PFS: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

[Poppy Pant]

Also I'm not sure the Squeg would need to hero point given his first roll should now have succeeded with Ida's 'smoothe-the-path effect..' which should have affected Squeq's roll... but also understand if it doesn't because of how turn-order/roll processing can get messed up between with delays and PbP.

Anywho, I guess this doggie needs a friend, though I think Poppy worries we might be better off just preparing to fight/surprise the people who come for the alarm...

Poppy is going to do everything she can to remember Arnisant. PFS Lore: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 = 11

HP the failure:
Poppy's not sure her PFS school even had the book Ida's talking about, but she scrunches her face and tugs at her right ear thoughtfully as she racks her brain for any neurons that can possibly fire about Arnisant. Pathfinder Society Lore: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19

[GM Tiger]

Poppy, do you wanna HP that natural 1? :) You'll also need a second attempt after this one anyway.

Actually, since this one requires 2 successes, I can count the first roll as a success w/ the +2. The 14 is a failure, however. Do you want to HP that one instead (same HP, just a different roll)

I consider this as all happening at the same time :)

[Tarta Atsal]

lore: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Dear Desna, Hire me.....please...

lore: 1d20 ⇒ 3

[Poppy Pant]

Poppy is already doing everything she can to remember Arnisant.

Unfortunately it sounds like when we're going to be ambushed in a building that's on fire lol

Pathfinder Society Roll number 2: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 = 15

Pathfinder Society Roll number 2, attempt 2: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 2 = 16

Pathfinder Society Roll number 2, attempt 2, now gonna use a Hero Point to hopefully do better: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 2 = 30

Poppy pumps her elfen fists in silent victory,Who's a good doggie!? Arnisant <3

[Poppy Pant]

GM Tiger wrote:

Poppy, do you wanna HP that natural 1? :) You'll also need a second attempt after this one anyway.

Actually, since this one requires 2 successes, I can count the first roll as a success w/ the +2. The 14 is a failure, however. Do you want to HP that one instead (same HP, just a different roll)

I consider this as all happening at the same time :)

I guess if that nat 1 was not a crit failure then I'm fine with using that HP to re-roll my second roll's second attempt, which led to my finally having a crit success. If that counts as only 1 success then I can keep rolling, but hopefully it's not necessary.

Unfortunately that took me at minimum 3 failures and a hero point to get here

[GM Tiger]

Tarta - you should be trained in PFS Lore for free. So you should have a +6 (+8 if you include Smooth The Path) bonus to the roll.

Tarta/Squeg - you don't have to HP your failures but you need to roll until you succeed, with each failure earning an Awareness Point (which is why I was asking if you'd like to HP it first)

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: ARNISANT ALARM

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 20 PFS Lore
DC 23 Arcana
03-04 Chronicle (Automatic Success)

Successes Needed: 2 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete: Ida, Poppy
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 5
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal (0/2)
**Squeg (1/2)
**Ephesian
Poppy

[Squeg Wildshot]

Squeg scratches his head. "I think I know something about this.."

PFS Lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

[Tarta Atsal]

lore - heropointed first attempt: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

(subtract 2 if smooth the path doesn't apply)
lore, third attempt: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

[Tarta Atsal]

lore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
lore again: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
lore again maybe: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

[Ephesian Aputhil]

Ok, here's hoping my rolls will cooperate some amount.

"If we all put our heads together, I'm sure we can figure this out"
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 = 19
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 2 = 21
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25

[GM Tiger]

WOW. You made it past!

The group makes it past Arnisant though the noise of Arnisant barking may have attracted some unwanted attention.

A small herd of imps acting as the Rack Hellknights' bloodhounds scours the area on the suspicion that there are now intruders. You must use your knowledge of imp hunting tactics, your awareness of their location, or some other method to hide from their attention.

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: IMPISH HUNTING PARTY

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 22 Arcana
DC 25 Perception/Stealth

Successes Needed: 1 (Group)

Obstacle Complete:
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 12
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

**Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Ephesian Aputhil]

I think Ida or Poppy would be our best bet at overcoming this obstacle. My best skill for this would still require to me roll a 15 :(

[Squeg Wildshot]

Squeg signals to the others where to hide.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

[GM Tiger]

Apologies -- I forgot to mention. This obstacle is one check only (it's actually the complication from the infiltration). Squeg can take the check back and someone else with a higher bonus can try if you like.

[Poppy Pant]

Okay well Ida has a better Arcana than Poppy does... but the odds are against us either way.

Can you also make a cognitive mutagen for yourself and boost your Arcana roll? If so that might help https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?ID=3316&Redirected=1

[Ida Tappleby]

Alas, Ida doesn't know that recipe. Her study of alchemy has thus far focused on the more... volatile options.

Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

But they are just imps, after all.

[GM Tiger]

Avoiding the imps, you continue your infiltration of Greensteeples. You come upon a door. While it's not magical, the puzzle door Varian uses to block entrance to his library is based on several magical principles he discovered during his research.

Use your hero points if you have to. You're almost there

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: LIBRARY PUZZLE DOOR

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 20 PFS/Academia Lore, Arcana
DC 23 Crafting/Thievery

Successes Needed: 3 (Group)

Obstacle Complete:
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 12
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

**Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Ida Tappleby]

Infiltrating your own place did mean there's a helpful sense of familiarity.

PFS Low: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

[GM Tiger]

Ida easily figures out two parts of the combination needed to open the door.

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: LIBRARY PUZZLE DOOR

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 22 PFS/Academia Lore, Arcana
DC 25 Crafting/Thievery

Successes Needed: 2/3 (Group)

Obstacle Complete:
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 12
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Squeg Wildshot]

"I think you just need to turn here.. and here.." Squeg says.

Thievery: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

[Poppy Pant]

Poppy turns her head and squints at the bookshelf.
"I remember reading a story about Pathfinder lodges having a standard locking mechanism for their hidden entrances..."
PFS Lore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"But I don't remember what that standard is"

[GM Tiger]

Failure point for the infiltration is 15 AP. do you want to HP those failures?

[Squeg Wildshot]

Squeg tries to figure it out again. hero point: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

[GM Tiger]

Squeg manages to get the door open to the library. This gives you access to much of the house. You find a collection of Count Jeggare's favorite magical blades, including a rather plain-looking shortsword in a place of honor among the ornate collection.

DC 22 Arcana/Aroden Lore/Society:

You identify the blade as Humanity's Resolve, one of the many swords forged by Aroden during his lifetime.

Behind a portrait of Countess Pontia Jeggare, you find a map room that has thus far remained undiscovered by the dottari. Every wall and surface in this small room is covered in maps and scrolls that have several locations circled and notated. Each entry uses colloquial phrasing that seems innocuous to all but Pathfinders accustomed to the methods the Pathfinder Society uses to hide sensitive information.

As you catch your breath in the map room, the dottari near the library become less attentive as they think there's nothing to worry about.

The map room also houses a few items mentioned in the brief:
* Varian Jeggare's wayfinder,
* An old Arodenite religious text the count was translating called The Walker's Path,
* An ornate scroll bound with a single-word note in Varian's hand: Dralneen.

[Squeg Wildshot]

Well.. look what we have here.. What do you think the scroll means.. " Squeg says.

[GM Tiger]

Some of the items were mentioned in the briefing. I imagine you'll be taking those with you... The briefing also requests that you take out items that might give the PFS some trouble if they fall into enemy hands... like that sword, perhaps...

[Ida Tappleby]

Society: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

"Oh my. That's Humanity's Resolve. It was forged by Aroden. Let's not leave that. And all these maps need to go."

Ida peers at the scroll. "That it's intended for Zarta Dralneen, most likely. We should definitely grab that."

[GM Tiger]

You take what you need to and continue sneaking into Greensteeples. You realize that some of the furor seems to have calmed down as you caught your breath in the secret room. AP reduced by 1

Hellknights assigned to find Varian and his associates have been using imps as fiendish hunters. Some imps have taken to wandering the halls and streets alone to bring items and unlucky citizens to the knights' attention.

Last obstacle. You have some breathing room as your AP total is lower.

If one person manages to clear the obstacle, the rest of you can apply the +2 Smooth the Path bonus

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: IMP

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 18 Arcana, Stealth, Survival

Successes Needed: 1 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete:
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 11
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

**Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Squeg Wildshot]

"Let's go... quietly..." Squeg says.

Thievery: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

[Ida Tappleby]

Ida mixes up a quicksilver mutagen.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 2 = 29

[GM Tiger]

Ida makes sneaking look easy!

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: IMP

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 18 Arcana, Stealth, Survival

Successes Needed: 1 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete: Ida
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 12
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

Ida Tappleby
**Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
**Ephesian
**Poppy

[Ephesian Aputhil]

Arcana: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 2 = 15

Hero Point:
Hero Point: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25

[Tarta Atsal]

arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

arcana hero point: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

[Poppy Pant]

Poppy will try to sneak, being sneakier than she's ever snuck before.
Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14

Trying a second time to be sneaky
Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 = 24

[GM Tiger]

Ephesian, Tarta and Poppy all make it past the Imp.

Squeg, over to you.

------------------
TRACKER
Round: n/a
Obstacle: IMP

Friend of Greensteeples Background: +2 Circumstance Bonus to the check

Skills:
DC 18 Arcana, Stealth, Survival

Successes Needed: 1 (Individual)

Obstacle Complete: Ida, Ephesian, Poppy, Tarta
Smooth the Path: Active (+2 to checks)

Awareness Points (Bad): 12
Edge Points: 0
------------------
Those with ** may go

Ida Tappleby
Tarta Atsal
**Squeg
Ephesian
Poppy

[Squeg Wildshot]

"This way!" Squeg says.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

[GM Tiger]

Squeg manages to make it across the hall without tipping off the imp.

CONGRATULATIONS! You're my first group to complete the infiltration. Your hero points are restored to your starting number (2)

[GM Tiger]

After finding a way into Greensteeples and around patrolling dottari, you are more likely to find any survivors holed up in the safe room, hidden away from the Hellknight and dottari incursion. Thankfully, Nincia gave you a coded map that shows them several paths you can take to get to the room without bringing attention down upon your heads now that you are deep inside the hidden spaces of Greensteeples. Unless otherwise stated, the walls are 12 feet tall with gabled timber ceilings—even where there should be a simple flat floor above it—and plaster-covered stone walls. Rooms and hallways are well-lit even when they've been damaged by Hellknight forces, with everlight crystal or other magical means of lighting illuminating even the darkest corners.

Despite the invasion of Thrune forces, the interior of Greensteeples is lavish and well-appointed, with colorful plush chairs and couches lining the walls of its hallways and parlors and thick marble and oak floorings covered by heavy, embroidered carpet runners and rugs. Each floor reflects the cultural landmarks of different regions of Golarion, reflecting Varian's extensive escapades and research.

The route to the safe room leads up several flights of steps and across several halls and patios to the east wing. From there, it winds through a series of hidden breezeways between several bedroom walls and down a flight of stairs to a kitchen nestled close to the library. From a hidden door in the kitchen's pantry, the path leads around a curved wall circling the library to a series of hallways on the ground floor.

The winding path to the safe room ends in a narrow hallway that opens up to a larger chamber to the south. Within it, four stone pillars jut up from the ornate stone floor to hold up a large round fresco painted on the ceiling above. The fresco depicts an image that resembles the aiudara of Kyonin. Two stairwells on either side of the narrow hallway lead up into small, rectangular antechambers decorated with fine rugs and tapestries. The large southern chamber sports two opposing doors on the east and west walls. The dyed plaster on the walls has been removed from an area just south of the western door and revealed a third, more spartan metal door.

The hallway is 10 feet wide, opening to a 30-foot wide, 25-foot-long open hallway to the south. Despite the seeming fragility of the fresco, it is quite light and doesn't require the added stability of the stone pillars.

A group of Hellknights wearing Order of the Rack colors are trying to break down a portion of the wall near a closed door on the western side of the room when you arrive on scene. You're not sure what exactly they're looking for but their intent becomes clear as they turn and rush you.

Init:

Ida Tappleby's Initiative using Investigate: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27
Tarta Atsal's Initiative using Search: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Squeg's Initiative using Avoid Notice: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22
Ephesian's Initiative using Defend: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Poppy's Initiative using Scout: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Red: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
White: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Blue: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

White replaces his flail with a longbow and looses a pair of arrows at Who?: 1d5 ⇒ 3

Composite Longbow vs Ida AC 20 100' range, Volley 30': 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 for Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Composite Longbow vs Ida AC 20 100' range, Volley 30', MAP: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 for Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

The first arrow hits but White for some reason shoots the ceiling with his next arrow.

------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
------------------
Those with ** may go

White
**Ida Tappleby - AC 20 29/36
Red
Squeg - AC 21 46/46
Ephesian - AC 21 (23 w/shield) 46/46 (Shield: H5, 20/20)
Poppy - AC 20 36/36
Tarta Atsal - AC 21 58/58
Blue

[Ida Tappleby]

"Did we just go upstairs to find a secret passage that led us back to where we started, to find an entirely separate secret passage that led where we wanted to go? I suppose it might be a kind of magical lock. The doorway doesn't appear unless you've gone through the other secret passage first..."

When she sees the Hellknights, Ida scowls. "Such rude brutes!" Against her better judgement, she moves up so she has a better shot. She quickly starts mixing some things up and chucking them at the nearest one.

The first starts sparking as it leaves her hand, and the crackling electricity should slow their reaction time--letting her him 'em with something that looks like a pastry but bursts to release a murky purple gas.

◆ Stride
◆ Quick Bomber to make and Strike Blue with a moderate bottled lightning: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 for electricity damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11, 2 electricity splash damage to all three, and Blue is Off-Guard until the start of Ida's next turn. On a miss, it still deals the splash damage to Blue, but on a crit the splash doesn't double.
◆ Quick Bomber to make and Strike Blue with a moderate dread ampoule: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 5 = 17 for mental damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8, 2 mental splash damage to all three, and Blue becomes Frightened 1 (or 2 on a crit). On a miss, it still deals the splash damage to Blue, but on a crit the splash doesn't double.

[GM Tiger]

Ida moves up and chucks a sparking bottle at Blue, who gets it right in the chest. He shudders, beard standing on end. A second bottle follows but misses.

Red roars and moves up. He pulls out a war flail from his belt and tries to clobber Ida with it.

War Flail vs Ida AC 20: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29 for Bludgeoning: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
------------------
Those with ** may go

White (-2; 17 < AC <= 21)
Ida Tappleby - AC 20 22/36
Red (-2; 17 < AC <= 21)
**Squeg - AC 21 46/46
**Ephesian - AC 21 (23 w/shield) 46/46 (Shield: H5, 20/20)
**Poppy - AC 20 36/36
**Tarta Atsal - AC 21 58/58
Blue (-15; 17 < AC <= 21; OG)

[Poppy Pant]

Poppy takes aim at Blue, trying to snipe him from afar.

Longbow Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Longbow Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Then she amps her Frostbite, taking aim at White.
DC 18 Fort Save
Frostbite: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 4, 1, 3, 2) = 14

♦Strike
♦♦ Amp Frostbite

[GM Tiger]

GM Dice:

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Poppy takes aim at Blue and hits him in the arm. She coats White with some ice but he is able to tough it out.

------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
------------------
Those with ** may go

White (-9; 17 < AC <= 21)
Ida Tappleby - AC 20 22/36
Red (-2; 17 < AC <= 21)
**Squeg - AC 21 46/46
**Ephesian - AC 21 (23 w/shield) 46/46 (Shield: H5, 20/20)
Poppy - AC 20 36/36
**Tarta Atsal - AC 21 58/58
Blue (-24; 17 < AC <= 21; OG)